1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in motorcycle cowl structure.
2. Description of Background Art
Some motorcycles are equipped with a cowling. This cowling is also called a cowl and has a role of enhancing the external appearance of a vehicle and suppressing the flow of air toward a rider. Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-27028 discloses cowl structures. See, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-27028, FIG. 2.
In this cowl structure illustrated in FIG. 2 of Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-27028, fixed flap portions (22) (the parenthetic numeral denotes a reference numeral described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-27028 and this applies to the following.) and a movable flap portion (23) are attached to a cowl main body (14) covering the front portion of a vehicle body.
The fixed flap portion (22) allows flow of air to flow on the side of a vehicle to prevent the flow of air from hitting a rider. When external temperature is high, the rider opens the movable flap portion (23) to introduce a flow of air from the gap of the opening movable flap portion (23), cooling her or his own leg.
The technology of Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-27028 can arbitrarily control air flowing toward the rider.
In addition, the motorcycle has a single-riding mode where a rider rides alone and a tandem-riding mode where also a pillion passenger (also called a passenger) rides in rear of the rider.
In view of restriction on the length of a motorcycle, pillion passengers frequently assume a mounting posture gripping the waist of a rider with her or his own knees. As viewed from the front of the vehicle, the knee caps, leg portions, waist and flanks of the pillion passenger are located on the vehicle-widthwise outside.
The movable flap portion (23) in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-27028 is adapted to cover the rider but is not adapted to cover the knee cap, leg portion, waist and flank of the pillion passenger.
In other words, the conventional cowl structure does not take into consideration the needs of a windshield for a pillion passenger.
However, in the environment where the ban on the tandem riding on a motor expressway will be lifted, a cowl structure capable of suppressing the flow of air flowing toward a pillion passenger is desired.